…..NUJ to inaugurate Committee on Safety of Journalists
By Kemi Yesufu
The Nigerian Police Force has stated its commitment to ensuring the safety of journalists working in the country.
Speaking at a post-election forum on media-police relations framework, Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Frank Mba, stated that to further strengthen the nation’s democracy, journalists must enjoy a sense of safety and the freedom to report the news.
Mba, who declared the two-day summit organized by the International Media Support (IMS), Media Foundation for West Africa (MAWA) and OSIWA in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), open, described the safety of journalists as a top priority of the police.
He said: “We are committed to the safety and protection of journalists, not just because we are police officers and we are constitutionally mandated to do so. But also because we also see journalists veritable partners.
“We see journalists as our front line partners, we see them as mutually aligned with us in the task of making Nigeria a better and safer place”.
Prof. Kwame Karikari of the Media Foundation For West Africa, stressed the need for the media and security agencies to always recognise the importance of thier roles to protect and promote democracy.
According to him, proactive measures taken by the press and the police as the lead security agency during the recently concluded election played a major role in the largely peaceful situation across the country weeks after conclusion of the polls.
Recall that in February, a training was held in Abuja on the, “Safety of Journalists and Conflicts Sensitive Reporting Ahead of Nigeria’s Election”, by the International Media Support (IMS), Media Foundation for West Africa (MAWA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
In his welcome address, National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Chris Isiguzo, announced that the National Committee on Safety of Journalists will be inaugurated during the summit.
Isiguzo expressed optimism that organising a meeting to assess the performance of the police and the media during the election will be usefull, adding that the training held in February assisted in greatly reducing friction between both groups.
“I can say that the meeting (in Frebruary) helped us so well in relating during the course of the election and this is why we recorded very minimal number of journalists harassment”, he said.
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